Leslie Lancelot Macey (4 August 1881 – 28 September 1950) was a New Zealand lawn bowls player who won a gold medal at the

1938 British Empire Games The 1938 British Empire Games was the third British Empire Games, the event that evolved to become the Commonwealth Games. Held in Sydney, Australia from 5–12 February 1938, they were timed to coincide with Sydney's sesqui-centenary (150 ye ...

Early life and family

Born in Blenheim on 4 August 1881, Macey was the son of Henrietta Macey (née Simson) and William Henry Macey, a photographer who later served as mayor of Blenheim between 1903 and 1904. Lance Macey married Brenda Smith at

St Paul's Church, Auckland St Paul's Church is a historic church in the CBD of Auckland, New Zealand, located on Symonds Street near the University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology. It is the longest established church in the city and has one of the lar ...

on 14 November 1906, and the couple went on to have two children.

Public service career

Macey joined the Post and Telegraph Department in 1897, beginning as a telegraph messenger in Blenheim. He rose through the ranks, becoming district telegraph engineer for Otago, based in Dunedin, in 1925, and Auckland district telegraph engineer in 1932. He was associated with the introduction of automatic telephone exchanges, and retired after 40 years' service in 1937. In 1935, Macey was awarded the

King George V Silver Jubilee Medal The King George V Silver Jubilee Medal is a commemorative medal, instituted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the accession of King George V. Issue This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir by King George V to commemorate his Silver J ...

. During World War II, Macey was recalled to work as a telegraph engineer, and he was commissioned as a captain in the Lines of Communication Signals (Post and Telegraph) in 1941.

Bowls

At the

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

, Macey won the men's pairs gold medal alongside

Walter Denison Walter Denison (10 November 1870 – 2 October 1954) was a New Zealand lawn bowls player who won a gold medal in the men's pair at the Lawn bowls at the 1938 British Empire Games, 1938 British Empire Games. Early life Born in Auckland on 10 No ...

. In Auckland, he was a member of the Remuera Bowling Club, and served in various capacities, including as the club's president, treasurer, and secretary.

Death

Macey died in Auckland on 28 September 1950, and his body was cremated at Waikumete Crematorium.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Macey, Lance 1881 births 1950 deaths Sportspeople from Blenheim, New Zealand New Zealand public servants New Zealand male bowls players Commonwealth Games gold medallists for New Zealand Bowls players at the 1938 British Empire Games Commonwealth Games medallists in lawn bowls New Zealand military personnel of World War II New Zealand Army officers 19th-century New Zealand people 20th-century New Zealand people Medallists at the 1938 British Empire Games